Ore jig



May 5., 1936.

B. R. sToRsAND -ORE JIG Filed Oct. 5, 1933 INVENTOR @br/7 E 5/0/50/70/ ATTORNEYS Patented May 5, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE Application October 3, 1933, Serial No. 691,941

1 claim. (ci. 209-457) The invention generally relates to the concentration of materials and more particularly pertains to,a device for effecting complete and rapid separation of values from ore bearing sands and gravel.

The jig of my invention is especially designed for wet concentration processes and is particularly suitable for use in connection with dredging operations for the recovery of gold, platinum, or other values. However, the device readily is adaptable for use in other environments. l

An object of the invention is to provide an ore concentrator which affords uniform application of washing fluid to the material supplied thereto as well as substantially unobstructed paths for the settling of separated values.

A further object of the invention is to provide a jig of the aforementioned type which is characterized by its rigid, yet simple construction and its relatively few moving parts.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved ore concentrator which is inexpensive to manufacture and operate and which requires but a minimum of attention during operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a relatively light weight jig especially suitable for dredge work and characterized by the small volume of water contained therein.

The foregoing objects are attained in `the embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing. as will appear from the following description of the device.

Referring to, the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front sectional elevation of a portion of the embodiment of the invention showing one complete cell and a portion of an adjoining cell.

Figure 2 is an end sectional elevation of the embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in Figure 1, and taken on the section line 2-2 thereof.

In itsv preferred. form the ore jig of my invention preferably comprises a. framework parti` tioned to provide a plurality of compartments or cells, a sieve supported in each cell. for receiving material, and a water tank consisting of two connected relatively movable sections disposed in each cell below said sieves, together with means for reciprocating one section of each of said tanks whereby the water therein is pulsated and forced upward intermittently through each sieve, the pulsations of the water being transmitted directly against and uniformly over the underside of each sieve.

As illustrated in the drawing, I provide an open framework, generally' designated by the reference numeral I I, which is preferably fabricated of angle irons I2 to provide a rigid construction. The framework is of generally rectangular shape and at spaced intervals longitudinally thereof I provide additional angle irons I3 todivide the framework into two or more compartments or cells I4. It is to be understood, of course, that a one cell jig of the character hereinafter described can be employed and is within the scope of the invention. i

Each cell of the jig of my invention includes a water or hutch tank I6 of two relatively movable connected sections Il and I8 and also invcludes a sieve I9 for receiving the material from which values are separated, each sieve I9 conveniently being supported upon a grate 2| supported within the tank adjacent to the mouth 22 thereof. The mesh of the sieve I9 is dependent upon the material Ito be worked. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the upper section I1 of each of the tanks I6 is rigidly-fastened to the angles I2 and I3 of the framework, adjoining upper sections I'I having a common wall 23 serving as a partition between adjoining cells I4.

While any desired form of hutch tanks I6 may be utilized, I preferably employ a tank having an upper section I1 which is formed. with a substantially rectangular mouth and with a substantially circular outlet 24, this construction being afforded by forming the upper portion of section I1 with a substantially straight wall and the lower portion of the section with a converging wall 26. The bottom portion of this section may be formed integral with the remaining portion of section I1 or can be separate therefrom, as shown, and spot welded or otherwise rigidly fastened thereto. The lower section I8 of the' tank I6 preferably is formed to a substantially inverted frustoconical shape with a relatively large inlet 21 and a relatively small outlet 28. The sections I1 and I8 of the tank conveniently are connected together for relative movement by flexible means, such as a strip of rubber 29 of generally U-shape in cross-section or by any' other flexible material which is impervious to water, together with ring clamps 30 and screw bolts 3l. 'I'he connection, as illustrated in the drawing, preferably is made by clamping the rubber member 29 between each ring clamp 30 and the flanges of the lower and upper sections of the tank I6 by tightening the bolts 3l which pierce the flanges and the ring clamps. With a connection of this character,

lets for carrying away the separated values.

it is a comparatively simple and easy job of assembling the sections or of disassembling the tank sections for replacing a worn rubber member 29, when needed.

'Ihe drawing illustrates my jig as used on placer dredges wherein the dredged material, prior to jigging, passes over saving tables or sluices, not shown. A relatively large volume of water is usually added to the dredge material while passing overthe tables, and this mixture of water and material flows to the jig to be received upon the sieves I9'thereof, the material settling from the water to form jig beds 3l. As illustrated, the sieve I9, of the jig cell which is adjacent to the. source of the material, that is, adjacent to the saving tables, is supported therein at a higher level than the sieve of .the next or adjoining cell so that the stream of material and water spills from one cell to another. The extended lateral walls of the upper sections I1 of the hutch tanks I 6 serve as weirs for the advancing stream of water and material. 35 is affixed to the last cell of the jig for guiding the discharging tailings to launders, not shown. In accordance withthe invention, means are provided for reciprocatingthe lower sections or bottoms I8 of each hutch tank in order to impart pulsations to the water contained therein. 'I'hese means include a shaft 31 which is journalled in bearings 38 supported on beams 39 of the frame and which is substantially coextensive with the length of the frame. Suitable means, such as a motor, together'with a belt and pulleys, also not shown, may be employed for driving the shaft. Thelreciprocating means also includes connections between the shaft 31 and the bottoms I8 of each tank. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, these connections include a casting.

4I- supported below each tank bottom I8 and-to which the tank bottom is welded or otherwise securely fastened, together with a cross-'head 42 connected to each casting, an eccentric strap 43 fastened, by means of a wrist pin Il, to each crosshead, and eccentrics 46 carried by the shaft 31 and upon which the straps v43 are mounted. Preferably, the cross-heads are formed integral with the casting 4I and each cross-head is slidably mounted in guides 41 carried by longitudinally Actuseveral tank bottoms I8 through the connections just described. Eccentrics with adjustable strokes may be utilized in order to vary the rate of reciprocation and consequent rate of pulsation of thev water in the tanks I8. The castings II are each provided with outlets 52 -and 53 for the concentrate and launders 54 or other conveying means can be 'loosely fastened to the out- As shown, plugs 56 can be used to close the outlets 52 and 53 when desired.

water is supplied to' each 'of the hutch tanks A tailboard I6 by pipes 51, each oi' which is providedwlth a check valve 58. Preferably the check valves 58 are arranged to close upon the upward stroke of the lower sections' I8 of the hutch tanks and to open upon the downward or suction stroke of such sections thereby to admit water freely to the tanks on the downward strokes. With this arrangement, the material of the jig beds 3l isforced abruptly upwardly on the pulsion or upward strokes of the sections I8 but the material settles more gradually during the downward strokes to filter through the sieves I9. The separated values pass through the sieves I9 to the lower sections I8 of the tanks and pass to the castings 4I where the concentrates are drawn oil as desired. It will be observed that the path of the separated values is substantially unobstructed in the jig of my invention, the jig having no diaphragm or other at means spanning the hutches for pulsating the water and upon which the separated values may come to rest.

In order that the pulsating water may be applied uniformly over the underside of the jig beds 34, bailles or guides may be inserted in the hutch tanks I6 for giving direction tothe pul- 'I'hese bailles may take the form v sated water. of fins which can be welded to the inner surface of the upper sections I1 of the tank or can be, as illustrated, a frusta-conical guide plate or band 59 supported by means of braces 6I within the tank. As the water is forced upwardly by the bottom sections I8, a portion thereof is guided by the bands`59 toward the outer portions of the jig beds 34 while another portion of the water is directed toward the central portions oi' the Jig beds.

While I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawing, it is to be understood that I am notvto be limited to the embodiment shown, as my invention, as defined in the appended claims, can be embodied in a plurality of forms.

I claim:

In an ore jig, a stationary tank having an opening in its lower end, the opening being substantially in a horizontal plane, a stationary jig bed carried within the upper part of the tank, baule means carried within the tank above said lower opening but below the jig bed, a downwardly convergent bottom container disposed directly below the opening in the tank, the upper end of the bottom container having an opening similar in contour to the lower opening in the tank, an

outwardly bulged flexible wall section serving to form a flexible sealed Joint between the lower edge of the vtank and the adjacent upper vedge of the bottom container, means serving to guide the bottom container for movement in a vertical direction, and means disposed exteriorly of the tank and the bottom container for reciprocating the bottom container in a vertical direction.

BJORN R. STORSAND. 

